3/5/2015 Integrity ∙ Excellence ∙ Respect 2

SKAGWAY: DYEA ROAD SAFETY

IMPROVEMENTS

REGIONAL & VICINITY MAPS

Integrity ∙ Excellence ∙ Respect

Integrity ∙ Excellence ∙ Respect

DYEA ROAD HISTORY & LAND USE

DYEA ROAD WAS ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED BY THE ALASKA ROAD COMMISSION IN THE 1940’S. TOTAL LENGTH OF 8.4 MILES (2 MILES PAVED).

PROVIDES ACCESS TO:

• HISTORIC DYEA TOWNSITE

• CHILKOOT TRAIL

• DYEA CAMPGROUND

• LODGING

• RESIDENCES

• TOUR OPERATIONS

• OTHER RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

SCOPE OF WORK & FUNDING

SCOPE: IMPROVE SAFETY AT THREE LOCATIONS ALONG DYEA ROAD IN SKAGWAY, ALASKA. THESE LOCATIONS HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN REFERRED AS THE DROP OFF, THE NARROWS, AND HACKETT HILL. SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDED ROADWAY WIDENING, REDUCING VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL CURVATURE, REALIGNMENT, AND GUARDRAIL INSTALLATION.

PROJECT CONSTRUCTION WAS FUNDED IN FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 2012 THROUGH THE HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (HSIP). CONSTRUCTION BEGAN IN 2013 AND WAS COMPLETED IN 2014.

TOTAL PHASE 4 COST - ~$3.7M (CONTRACT ITEMS, CE, & ICAP)

Integrity ∙ Excellence ∙ Respect

Integrity ∙ Excellence ∙ Respect

THE DROP OFF

SCOPE: THIS SECTION OF ROAD (APPROX. 600 LF) WAS WIDENED TO 24 FEET AWAY FROM NAHKU BAY. THIS REQUIRED CONTROLLED BLASTING WITH 4,800 CUBIC YARDS OF ROCK EXCAVATION. 570 LINEAR FEET OF GUARDRAIL WAS ALSO INSTALLED.

Integrity ∙ Excellence ∙ Respect

THE NARROWS

SCOPE: THIS SECTION OF ROAD (APPROX. 700 LF) WAS WIDENED TO

24 FEET TOWARDS TAIYA INLET DUE TO GEOTECHNICAL CONCERNS

RELATED TO THE STABILITY OF THE EXISTING SLOPE. THIS REQUIRED

25,000 CUBIC YARDS OF FILL AND RIPRAP PLACEMENT. 11,000 CUBIC

YARDS WERE PLACED BELOW HIGH TIDE LINE (HTL). 680 LINEAR FEET

OF GUARDRAIL WAS ALSO INSTALLED.

SCOPE:

THIS SECTION OF ROAD INCLUDED THE REALIGNMENT OF APPROXIMATELY 0.5 MILES OF DYEA ROAD. THIS REQUIRED CONTROLLED BLASTING WITH 49,000 CUBIC YARDS OF ROCK EXCAVATION. THIS ALSO REQUIRED 39,000 CUBIC YARDS OF EMBANKMENT CONSTRUCTION AND RIPRAP PLACEMENT. 33,000 CUBIC YARDS WERE PLACED BELOW HIGH TIDE LINE (HTL). 2,400 LINEAR FEET OF GUARDRAIL WAS ALSO NSTALLED.

HACKETT HILL

PRECONSTRUCTION PHOTOS

NARROW WINDING ROAD THAT IS CHALLENGING FOR LARGE VEHICLES

PRECONSTRUCTION PHOTOS

ROCK OUTCROPPINGS THAT LIMIT HORIZONTAL SIGHT DISTANCE

PRECONSTRUCTION PHOTOS

STEEP AND NEAR VERTICAL UNPROTECTED SLOPES

PRECONSTRUCTION PHOTOS

SHARP VERTICAL CURVES THAT LIMIT VERTICAL SIGHT DISTANCE

PRECONSTRUCTION PHOTOS

NEAR RUN-OFF-ROAD ACCIDENT & EMERGENCY WIDENING

LOCATED WITHIN DYEA SITE NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK AND WITHIN VIEWSHED OF KLONDIKE GOLD RUSH NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK (PROTECTED 4(F) RESOURCES)

REQUIRED FILL PLACEMENT WITHIN INTERTIDAL, ESTUARINE, AND MARINE WATERS OF THE U.S.

REQUIRED FILL PLACEMENT IN EFH DESIGNATED WATERS FOR KING, COHO, CHUM AND PINK SALMON, AS WELL AS EULACHON

MOUNTAIN GOATS FREQUENT THE AREA IN WINTER MONTHS, WHICH REQUIRED MONITORING DURING BLASTING OPERATIONS

HUMPBACK WHALES, STELLER SEA LIONS, AND OTHER MARINE MAMMALS PRESENT IN THE AREA

ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES

INCONSISTENT ROCK

FORMATIONS ALONG ENTIRE

ALIGNMENT

RUBBLIZED BEDROCK WAS

FOUND ALONG THE PROPOSED

ALIGNMENT THAT

COMPLICATED BLASTING

OPERATIONS

REMNANT GAPS WERE FOUND

WITHIN ROCK FORMATIONS

THAT LIMITED THE BLASTING

EFFICIENCY

GEOTECHNICAL CHALLENGES

PLAN VIEW - SOUTH

PLAN VIEW - NORTH

TYPICAL SECTION

FEBRUARY-APRIL 2013 – POOR

BLASTING METHODS AND

ENVIRONMENTAL OVERSIGHT

RESULTED IN THE UNAUTHORIZED

DISCHARGE OF 6,000 CY INTO

WATERS OF U.S. COVERING 0.55

ACRES

NOTE: CONSTRUCTION

ENGINEERING WAS PROVIDED BY

CONSULTANT

CONSTRUCTION CHALLENGES -

BLASTING

SEPTEMBER 2013 - DOT&PF

DESIGN BECAME AWARE OF THE

ISSUE UPON REVIEW OF

CONTRACTOR SUPPLIED CROSS

SECTIONS – APPROX. 5 MONTHS

AFTER VIOLATION OCCURRED

DOT&PF ENVIRONMENTAL STAFF

IMMEDIATELY REQUIRED

CONTRACTOR TO STOP WORK IN

THE AREA AND NOTIFIED ALL

AFFECTED AGENCIES OF

VIOLATION (USACE, ADF&G, NMFS,

USFWS, NPS, SHPO AND FHWA)

CONSTRUCTION CHALLENGES -

BLASTING

NOVEMBER 2013 - USACE ISSUED

NOTICE OF VIOLATION

REQUESTING ADDITIONAL

INFORMATION (TIMELINE OF

EVENTS)

NOTE: VIOLATION COULD INCLUDE

FINES OF UP TO $50,000 PER DAY

OR IMPRISONMENT FOR UP TO 3

YEARS FOR KNOWINGLY

VIOLATING THE CLEAN WATER ACT

CONSTRUCTION CHALLENGES -

BLASTING

MARCH 2014 - USACE ISSUED

COMPLIANCE ORDER REQUIRING:

COMPLETE REMOVAL OF ALL

MATERIAL OUTSIDE OF

PERMITTED AREAS WITHIN

APPROX. 4 WEEKS OF ORDER

NOTIFICATION

PERMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

MITIGATION PLAN BY MAY 2014

NOTE: INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS

TOOK PLACE WITH USFWS AND

USACE PRIOR TO ORDER TO

IDENTIFY LOCATIONS FOR

MITIGATION PROJECTS

CONSTRUCTION CHALLENGES -

BLASTING

MAY 2014 – DOT&PF SUBMITTED MITIGATION PLAN TO USACE FOR REVIEW AND ACCEPTANCE

NOTE: NON-PARTICIPATING FUNDS WERE REQUIRED TO DEVELOP MITIGATION PLAN, INCLUDING DESIGN AND ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITTING

PROPOSED MITIGATION PLAN INCLUDED THE REPLACEMENT OF (2) 54-INCH CULVERTS WITH A 117-INCH x 79-INCH STEEL PIPE ARCH TO IMPROVE FISH PASSAGE ON THE WEST CREEK TRIBUTARY (NEAR END OF DYEA ROAD)

TOTAL ESTIMATED COST FOR PRELIMINARY DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION - $250,000

CONSTRUCTION CHALLENGES -

BLASTING

JANUARY 2015 – INSTALLATION OF STEEL PIPE ARCH WAS COMPLETED

FEBRUARY 5, 2015 – USACE ISSUED LETTER CONSIDERING VIOLATION RESOLVED

NOTE: IF USACE IMPLEMENTED FINES TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW THEY WOULD HAVE AMOUNTED TO APPROX. $10,000,000 (2.5 TIMES THE PHASE 4 FUNDING OF $4M)

CONSTRUCTION CHALLENGES -

BLASTING

PRE-BLAST CONSULTANT -

BLASTING METHODS IN

2013

BLASTING VIDEOS

POST-BLAST CONSULTANT -

BLASTING METHODS IN

2014

BLASTING VIDEOS

POST CONSTRUCTION PHOTOS

POST CONSTRUCTION PHOTOS

POST CONSTRUCTION PHOTOS

CONSIDER USE OF BLASTING CONSULTANT DURING DESIGN TO VERIFY CONSTRUCTABILITY AND POTENTIAL PERMIT CONCERNS.

CONSIDER THE REQUIREMENT THAT CONTRACTOR HIRE QUALIFIED BLASTING CONSULTANT TO PREPARE BLASTING PLANS TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH ALL ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENTS AND PERMITS. THIS TECHNIQUE WAS USED FOR THE SITKA: SAWMILL CREEK PHASE III PROJECT.

CONSIDER USE OF BLASTING CONSULTANT DURING CONSTRUCTION TO REVIEW CONTRACTOR BLASTING PLAN SUBMITTALS.

PROVIDE A DOT&PF EMPLOYEE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE OVERSIGHT DURING CONSTRUCTION WHEN CONSULTANTS ARE PROVIDING THE CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN OPEN AND TRUSTWORTHY RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL AGENCIES.

LESSONS LEARNED